Friday, September 16, 2016

Two Letters to the Editor about Decolonization

Two letters to the editor on recent and not so recent activities related to Guam's decolonization.

For those who don't know, there are three political status options that are outlined per local and international law for Guam's future, integration (statehood), free association and independence. Each of these status has a task force that is mandated to educate the community about their status. These task forces are volunteer and have always been, although public law does indicate that the Commission on Decolonization is supposed to provide funding and support for their outreach.

But there is little written into the law about the structure of these task forces or details about their obligations. They are supposed to have a certain amount of members and they each have a chairperson who gets to serve and vote on the Commission itself, but other than that, they are amorphous and nebulous non-governmental organizations. The business of government usually moves slowly, unless there are electoral concerns that indicate a need to move more swiftly. When the Commonwealth movement died in the late 1990s, our political leaders tried to keep the movement for decolonization formalized and alive by housing it and placing responsibility over it in particular government agencies or entities, such as the Guam Election Commission and the Commission on Decolonization. But as interest at the executive level of government faded or the process become too complicated, things ground to a halt. If things move slowly when people are receiving a salary in order to maintain or advocate something, you can imagine what might happen to those whose role was based purely on passion and volunteerism. These task forces became largely inactive mirroring the inactivity of the government itself. Individuals on the task forces kept up their advocacy in their own way, but as groups, the task forces stopped engaging the public in educational outreach.

Under the current governor, little happened during Calvo's first term for the reasons we found in the previous two administrations. No money was provided for outreach, the Commission on Decolonization was not given enough autonomy or authority to work effectively. The governor and his team were not informed enough about the issue and had no workable plans or strategies in order conduct outreach effectively. In Calvo's second term however there has been a shift, a sometimes inconsistent shift, but still a promising one. Working with the Legislature he provided funding for the Commission and for the task forces. The Commission has become more active, even if appears to be more dysfunctional than anything at times.

But over the past year, only the Independence for Guahan Task Force has been making use of this shift and the money that has been provided. It has been a difficult process, as we are a volunteer organization that has to follow the laborious and sometime soul-draining government procurement process, lao para bei in singon ha'. We've been having meetings and undertaking social media campaigns to help get the word out and so far we've been fairly effective at promoting both decolonization in general and independence in particular to the island community.

The other two task forces, Free Association and Statehood have yet to spend their money or really even try. In our last Commission on Decolonization meeting the statehood task force surprised everyone present by insisting that they wouldn't do any education unless a date for the plebiscite had been set. They insisted they didn't have to do any education since they had reached out to people more than a decade and a half ago, and that they were certain that everyone still remembered they information they had disseminated back then. As their task force chair Eddie Duenas noted, without a date for a plebiscite, any activity to educate people on this issue would just be spinning our wheels. The Independence for Guahan Task Force challenged that idea and said that education is always important and is the key to empowerment, regardless of whether the purpose has been completely clarified.

A co-chair to the Statehood for Guam Task Force wrote a letter to the Guam Daily Post, in which he misrepresented so many things, including what happened at the most recent Commission on Decolonization meeting. Ray Lujan, a UOG student who attended the Independence for Guahan's last general meeting in August wrote a response. Both are included below.

*****************

Not Ready to Decide
by Ray Lujan
Letter to the Editor
Guam Daily Post
9/12/16

I am writing this letter in response to the statements by Mr. Eloy
Hara on Sept. 3 in this newspaper. He represents the Statehood Task
Force with the Commission on Decolonization. While I wholeheartedly
respect and appreciate the historical reference to the work of the
commission as offered in the letter, I think it’s equally important to
point out that there indeed is a need for more in-depth education
outreach from all three task forces and from the commission.

As
Mr. Hara points out, each task force began conducting its outreach in
1989 – well before I was born. But now that I’m an adult, I think it’s
fair for me to ask for updated information and re-energized
conversations devoted to this issue. Although I was a little more
hopeful with Gov. Calvo’s initial claims that his administration would
actually address self-determination more seriously, the most helpful
information I’ve received has come from the Independence Task Force.

I
began taking special interest in this very important matter a couple of
years ago. Since then, I have involved myself with the decolonization
commission’s joint projects with the University of Guam. I was a student
of Dr. Carlyle Corbin in a special topic area class titled "Democratic
Governance in Non-self-governing Island Territories" and I have recently
been in attendance at the Independence Task Force’s public meetings and
forums. Even then, I, along with many others, feel the need for more
research on the process as well as the implications all three statuses
have for Guahan. After the most recent decolonization forum at the
university, which hosted keynote speakers from Guahan and a journalist
covering the process in New Caledonia, many left with more questions
than they had answers. The questions posed to the keynote speakers from
the audience, which consisted mostly of young adults, illustrated just
how little is known among members of my generation about the process of
political self- determination.

Much
has changed since the position papers were produced by the three task
forces over 15 years ago. We are realizing more and more how our current
non-self-governing status has proven to be of grave consequence to our
way of life. The cost of living continues to increase, and our natural
resources are quickly being squandered away for military and foreign
commercial interests. Like others, I have many questions that I feel
should be addressed by the task forces.

Although I have yet to
make up my mind, I applaud the work of the Independence Task Force and
their team for putting out the information they have shared. They have
offered comparative analyses, they have invited other people who have
experienced independence in their own countries to share with us, and
they have asked for input from the community to be able to develop a
more balanced outreach. This grassroots approach seeks to hear the
issues and concerns from the people, myself included, in the hope of
potentially providing answers. In addition, their monthly general
meetings serve to inform those in attendance about a different component
of the process. Even with its limited resources, this one task force
has managed to organize very well thought-out events and meetings for
those of us who aren’t old enough to have been involved since 1989.

I
feel there is a moral and ethical obligation to educate the younger
generation and to provide the knowledge necessary so they can make an
informed and competent decision about the island’s political future. We,
too, will live with what those eligible to vote decide for the future
of our island. Our voices matter in this process and we are saying we
need more information and time.

I
hope to see more of this type of work from all three task forces as
well as from the commission.

Until I do, I agree with the commission’s
decision to delay the plebiscite.

I absolutely agree with anyone
who says that our community is not ready for this plebiscite until each
of the three task forces has exhausted all means necessary to fully
engage our people in widespread discussion of the benefits and the
consequences of each status. Our people must not be too hasty in making
this decision until we understand what each status could mean for us –
regardless of how Congress could potentially respond.

***************

Decolonization As I See It

Letter to the Editor of the Guam Daily Post

From Eloy Hara

September 3, 2016

After I read the Aug. 24 article on page 8 of The Guam Daily
Post, titled “Independence Task Force Faults Calvo for Plebiscite Delay,” I
became very upset! Again Gov. Calvo is being blamed for what the Independence
Task Force created by their continued insistence to the commission that they
and the people of Guam are “not ready.”

In 1989, Gov. Joseph F. Ada appointed former Sen. Edward R.
Duenas and myself as chairman and vice chairman, respectively, for the
Statehood Task Force. Regularly scheduled meetings were held and the three task
forces - statehood, independence and free association - were tasked to research
their respective statuses on how to proceed with the plebiscite. They must
point out the various “pros & cons” and start an educational process on the
plebiscite with “Eligible Guam Voters.”

A few months ago, Gov. Calvo went to the Guam Election
Commission and Registered the Decolonization Commission for the November
General Election Plebiscite. For that bold move, he was chastised by the
Decolonization Commission and the Independence Task Force for taking things
into his own hands. However, that move sparked things up and attendance at
meetings was revitalized with strong forward movement until the Independence
Task Force stalled the progress again.

At that time, I decided to start attending decolonization
meetings again. I have not attended any since Gov. Calvo started the meetings
knowing that it would have been a complete waste of my time. The Decolonization
Commission had been going around in circles and continues to do so, thanks to
the new Independence Task Force co-chairpersons.

Move to delay plebiscite

During the very first meeting I attended, it was obvious who
was actually running the meetings. Some of the Decolonization Commission
members, at the insistence of the Independence Task Force, moved that the
plebiscite be delayed yet again until sometime in the future because they were
not ready for the November election. Mr. Joe Garrido of the Free Association
Task Force objected and stated that he was ready and would not be able to
continue if there is further delay and even offered to give the $80,000 of his
education money to the Independence Task Force. Sen. Edward Duenas and I
objected and stated that we have been ready and have in fact already completed
a full round of educating the island community until such time that Gov.
Gutierrez cancelled the whole process during his administration.

Sometime in 1997, Sen. Hope Cristobal established by local
law the Guam Decolonization Commission to research the three terminal status
options (statehood, independence and free association) as endorsed by the
United Nations. In 2000, the Decolonization Plebiscite was scheduled to be held
in conjunction with the 2000 general election. However a separate voter
registration was required for the plebiscite and adequate public education on
the three options and funding were lacking, thus postponing the plebiscite,
which has languished since then.

Encountering one obstacle after another, here we go again!
This process for granting Guam a permanent civil government, which was signed
by 30 Chamorro leaders, has been going on since 1901.

Here we are some 115 years later still going around in
circles that we must first educate everyone in Guam. If the law had intended
that “all” the people of Guam should be educated, the separate voter
registration would not have been necessary. Since my first day of participating
in the Decolonization Commission meetings, the three task forces understanding
are for us to research and educate the “eligible” plebiscite voters only. The
bottleneck issue regarding the “70-percent need” should never have been an
issue at all. The way I see this issue is simple: Have the Legislature repeal
this law.

Obstacles at every meeting

Another obstacle that recently surfaced is the new co-chairs
of the Independence Task Force dominated all of the conversations at every
meeting. They talked whenever they desire, never following any parliamentary
procedures by raising their hands and waiting for the chairperson’s
recognition. When we, the statehood chair and vice chair, raise our hands we
don’t get recognized. Even our objections to postponing the plebiscite were not
recognized, right along with the free association chairman’s objection.

The Statehood and Free Association Task Forces never agreed
that the governor’s Troy Torres head the educational process. The educational
process has always been the respective task forces' job and facilitated by the
Decolonization Commission. Both the Free Association and Statehood Task Forces
suggest that we not waste time and money to continue the education process until
within one year of a scheduled plebiscite. We further recommend that the next
plebiscite be held the very next gubernatorial election on November 2018.

My personal contact is 688-0504 for those that may desire to
question me.

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Put Guahu / About Me

This blog is dedicated to Chamorro issues, the use and revitalization of the Chamoru language and the decolonization of Guam. This blog also aims to inform people around the world about the history, culture and language and struggles of the Chamorro people, who are the indigenous islanders of Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Luta and Pagan in the Mariana Islands. Pues Haggannaihon ha', ya taitai na'ya, ya Si Yu'us Ma'ase para i finatto-mu.

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The Revolution Will Not Be Haolified

THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE HAOLIFIEDTinige’ as Guahu - 2003 (updated 2008)

You will not be able to ignore it che’lu * This time you will not be able to blame it all on Anghet * You will not be able to change channels * And watch Fear Factor, Rev TV of Salamat Po Guam because * The Revolution will not be televised

The revolution will not be televised, nor will it be advertised * It will not be sponsored by the Good Guys at Moylan’s or the better guys at AK. * It will not be something easily explained by radio callers * Whether they be Positively Local, Definitively Settler, or Surprisingly Coconut * It will not be cornered by the Calvos and explained by Sabrina Salas * Matanane * After the story about the incoming B-52’s or 1000’s of Marines careening towards to Guam, and how we * should be economically energized and not terrorized. * Jon Anderson will have no TT anecdotes about it * and Chris Barnett won’t malafunkshun it because the revolution will not be televised

The revolution will not be televised or editorialized * It will not be something canabilized with two inches here two inches there * Dubious headlines everywhere * Lee Weber will not edit it * Joe Murphy will not put it in his pipe and smoke it * Nor dream about it, or tell others the wonders and blunders of it. * There will be no letters to the editor quoting scriptures or denying its constitutionality * And there will be no American flag inserts saying these three colors just don’t run * As the revolution will not be editorialized

The revolution will not be televised or politicized * It will not play the same old gayu games * And promise you that same old talonan things. * The revolution will not wave at you as you drive by on Marine Drive * And seduce you with its hardworking eyes. * It will not be territorial or popular, and not encourage you with maolek blue. * The revolution will not put marang salaman po after its speeches to get more Filipino votes in the next election because the revolution will not be politicized

The revolution will not be televised, not be theorized * It will not be something GCC or UOG friendly. * There will be no books at Bestseller offering to help you lose something in 90 days * Or Rachel Ray helping you cook the revolution of your way. * Ron McNinch will not survey it * and will not poll people about their revolution of choice. * There will be no WASC review report demanding accountability demanding autonomy * And no beachcombing carpetbaggers will proclaim their own terminal authority * Over the histories, the laws, the thinking of those for whom they see nothing but corrupt and corrupting inferiority * The revolution will not be colonized

The revolution will not be televised, not be supersized. * The revolution will not be something you can buy at Ross, or get at blue light cost * It is not just red rice, kelaguan uhang, or popcorn with Tobacco sauce. * It doesn’t come with Coke and it doesn’t fit on a fiesta plate. * The revolution will not make you gof sinexy, cure your jafjaf, or make fragrant your fa’fa’ * The revolution will not force you to be where America’s empire begins * Or where Japan’s golf courses and Gerry Yingling’s credit card debt ends. * You won’t need a credit card, or be charged for the tin foil to cover your balutan * As the revolution will not be economized

The revolution will not be televised, blownback or militarized * There will be no more physical ordnance buried in people’s lands * And no more patrionizing propaganda buried in people’s minds * The revolution will not get you cheaper cases of chicken or increased commissary privileges. * It will not make freedomless flags feel more comfortable in your hands * Or make uniforms fit more snugly around your mind. * The revolution will not deny racism or exploitation * And not create histories about landfalls of destiny * But instead publicize the racism and evils of American hegemony. * The revolution will not be subsidized by construction contracts or the race of Senator Inouye or Congressman Burton * It will not be laid waste to by daisy cut budgets or Medicare spending limits * Instead it will be sustained by deep memories that refuse to die * The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be televised and will not polarize based on blood or color * It will not make your skin lighter * It will not make your skin darker * It will not test your blood the way Hitler or Uncle Sam would of done * It will not hate some and love others based on their time of naturalization * Or incept date of their compacts of free association. * But the revolution will help some find comfort, find strength, find power * In their connections to the land and to each other * Allow some to discover the sovereignty that can be found in solidarity * The revolution will take and remake this consciousness that doesn’t need to be televised * But does need to be revolutionized * The revolution will not be haolified * The revolution will not be haolified